Ultrasound elastography capabilities in studying uterine cerviх state in pregnant women of high-risk group in the first trimester of pregnancy

Aim. To study capabilities of quantitative elastographic study to assess the elasticity of the uterine cervix in women with a fetal chromosomal abnormality in the first trimester of pregnancy.

Methods. 230 pregnant women of high-risk group at 11-13.6 weeks of pregnancy (parietal-coccygeal length 45-84 mm) were included in this study. The first group consisted of 213 women without fetal pathology. The second group included 17 women, in whose fetuses different chromosomal abnormalities were detected. In ultrasound examination of pregnant women in the I trimester of pregnancy, in addition to standard methods of examination, quantitative cervical elastography was performed.

Results. According to results of quantitative elastography in 14 (82.35%) out of 17 pregnant women (second group) one or another degree of the cervical tissue softening was found, and 3 (17.64%) pregnant women with fetal chromosomal pathology had stiff cervix (all 3 cases with Down syndrome). In the control group in 10 (4.7%) of 213 pregnant women relatively soft cervix was identified, and in 203 (95.3%) women cervical density was higher than the myometrial density. A statistically significant difference between the indices of SWE-Ratio in groups was revealed. Quantitative elastography, as a diagnostic test predicting the risk of miscarriage due to chromosomal abnormalities, has a high sensitivity (84.38%) and even higher specificity (95.26%) of negative predictive value 97.57%.

Conclusion. Quantitative elastography reveals a significant decrease in the cervical elasticity (softening) in pregnant women with fetal chromosomal abnormality in the I trimester of pregnancy, which allows us to recommend this method of ultrasound examination as an additional marker for early diagnosis of miscarriage due to fetal chromosomal abnormality.